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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 104605-104606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30517]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0178]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Renewal of an Approved 
Information Collection: Road Test Requirement

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department 
of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA 
announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) 
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its 
review and approval and invites public comment. FMCSA requests approval 
to renew the ICR titled ``Road Test Requirement.'' This ICR estimates 
the information burden incurred by motor carriers associated with the 
road test requirements in two circumstances. The first is when the 
motor carrier hires a new driver. The second is when the road test is 
required for individuals physically qualified under the Agency's 
alternative vision standard for the first time. In each circumstance, 
motor carriers are required to rate the performance of the driver 
during the test on a road test form provided by the motor carrier. If 
the road test is successfully completed, the motor carrier completes a 
certificate of driver's road test and provides a copy to the driver. 
The motor carrier retains the original signed road test form and the 
original, or a copy, of the signed certificate in the driver 
qualification file.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before January 
22, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Pearlie Robinson, Driver and 
Carrier Operations Division, DOT, FMCSA, West Building, 6th Floor, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001; 202-366-4225; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Road Test Requirement.
    OMB Control Number: 2126-0072.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Motor carriers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,187,668.
    Estimated Time per Response: 33 minutes.
    Expiration Date: March 31, 2025.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 584,408.

Background

    This ICR supports the DOT strategic goal of safety. Public interest 
in highway safety dictates that employers hire drivers who can safely 
operate CMVs amid the various physical and mental demands of truck and 
bus driving. Subject to some exceptions, 49 CFR 391.31 requires a motor 
carrier to conduct a road test when the motor carrier hires a new 
driver. The motor carrier is required to rate the performance of the 
driver during the test on a road test form provided by the motor 
carrier. If the road test is successfully completed, the motor carrier 
completes a certificate of driver's road test and provides a copy to 
the driver. The motor carrier retains the original signed road test 
form and the original, or a copy, of the signed certificate in the 
driver qualification file. Motor carriers may maintain the required 
road test form and certificate electronically or via paper copy. The 
information collected by the motor carrier is needed to document the 
motor carrier conducted the road test as required and determined the 
driver can operate a CMV safely. The information also assists Federal 
and State safety investigators in determining that motor carriers 
fulfilled their regulatory requirements when deciding who may drive 
CMVs on their behalf and in assessing the qualifications of drivers.
    The ICR estimates the information-collection (IC) burden incurred 
by motor carriers associated with the Sec.  391.31 road test in two 
circumstances. The first is when the road test is required by Sec.  
391.31 (IC-1); the second is when the road test is required as part of 
the alternative vision standard in Sec.  391.44 (IC-2). However, 
individuals are excepted from the road test requirement if they have 3 
years of intrastate or specific excepted interstate CMV driving 
experience with the vision deficiency, hold a valid Federal vision 
exemption, or are medically certified under Sec.  391.64(b). Most of 
the motor carrier burden hours and cost for the information collection 
relates to IC-1.

Renewal of This IC

    The current burden estimate associated with this IC, approved by 
OMB on March 28, 2022, is 273,888 hours. The expiration date of the 
current ICR is March 31, 2025. Through this ICR renewal, the Agency 
requests an increase in the burden hours from 273,888 hours to 584,408 
hours. The increase is the result of an increase in the estimated 
driver population as well as an increase in the expected industry 
growth rate for drivers from 2022 to 2032.
    On September 13, 2024, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice 
allowing for a 60-day comment period on this ICR (89 FR 75011). The 
comment period closed on November 12, 2024. There were no comments 
submitted in response to that notice.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the performance of FMCSA's functions; (2) 
the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways for FMCSA to enhance the 
quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected

[[Page 104606]]

information; and (4) ways that the burden could be minimized without 
reducing the quality of the collected information. The Agency will 
summarize or include your comments in the request for OMB's clearance 
of this ICR.

    Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87.
Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2024-30517 Filed 12-20-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P
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